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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Solar Activity:EASTERN BLAST: The quiet didn't last long. Earth-orbiting satellites detected an M3-class solar flare at 0735 UT on Feb. 24th. The source was an active region located just behind the sun's eastern limb. The eruption also produced strong radio emissions, a coronal mass ejection...http://www.spaceweather.com/

Ark. cities feel unexplained surge in earthquakes

"LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Jim Sutterfield was briefly puzzled by a thumping sound that seemed to slam the back of his office chair. But when the small-town Arkansas fire chief turned and saw no one was around, he quickly realized it was just an earthquake — again.

"That was only my second time to feel one, but others here have felt them for three or four months now," Greenbrier chief Jim Sutterfield said after feeling the latest tremor on Wednesday. "Now when it happens, people say, 'Well, there's another one.'"

Several small earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 1.8 to 3.8 have rattled the north-central Arkansas cities of Greenbrier and Guy this week, and the cause is unknown." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110217/ap_on_re_us/us_arkansas_earthquakes

Check out the swarm of earthquakes located in Arkansas. This is not normally a hot spot location for quaking...
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/34.36.-93.-91.php

Related Stories

Hopes are fading of finding survivors beneath collapsed buildings in the aftermath of Tuesday's earthquake in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.

Ninety-eight bodies have now been recovered and taken to a temporary mortuary. Prime Minister John Key said that number could rise substantially.

Police have said 226 people are missing - up to 120 of them at one site alone.

But they have also insisted it remains a rescue operation and that specialists are still hunting for signs of life.

Darpa:

Darpa’s New Recruits: You, Your Grandpa and Your Dog

"Perhaps you think you’re too fat, too old or too busy to help fight America’s wars. Perhaps you’re not even a human being. The Pentagon’s way-out research arm begs to differ. The military can use your talents — whether you stand or four legs or on two.

Right now, only 1 percent or so of America’s population contributes to the country’s defense (and offense). In its new budget, Darpa announces a $25 million effort to build tools that’ll rope in the other 99 percent. (Doesn’t exactly explain how. But think crowd-sourcing, plus a touch of machine learning to pair peeps up.) The program is called “Unconventional Warfighters,” and the idea is to tap three pools of potential contributors." ... http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/02/darpas-new-recruits-you-your-grandpa-and-your-dog/

Broken Promises: How We Failed Afghanistan's Girls

Imagine that nine years ago, a rich philanthropist decided that your community needed an elementary school. He constructed a nice building, furnished it with desks and blackboards, and maybe even gave you a playground. Now imagine that the school was right in the middle of a vicious turf war between two rival gangs. The teachers at the school have a 10th grade education – and that's in the classes that have teachers. Most don't, because a teacher salary wouldn't cover rent in the neighborhood, and few are willing to brave gunfire to get to work. Now, eight years on, the philanthropist is wondering why literacy rates haven't improved in your community. Do you want to smack him yet?

Read more: http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/#ixzz1EtPuFNIY

Iraq suicide bomber strikes Ramadi

A suicide bomber in the Iraqi city of Ramadi has killed at least eight people, officials say.

The attack wounded the deputy governor of Anbar province, Hikmet Khalaf, and killed a number of policemen.

The bombing came hours after Prime Minister Nouri Maliki warned Iraqis not to participate in planned "day of rage" protests on Friday.

Oil prices hit fresh highs on Libya unrest fears

There are concerns that it will not be easy to make up the shortfall in Libya's high quality crude oil

As anti-government protests in Libya continue, an eyewitness in the capital Tripoli gave this account to BBC News.

Tripoli is still quiet for the most part. Everything is still shut down and people don't really know what is happening. They are very confused.

Many are hoping that other people - anti-government protesters and troops who have defected - will come in from the towns or cities around Tripoli, to try to help residents here achieve something.

Let me tell you about some specific incidents that have happened here over the last two days.

bodies dumped

mass exodus

Could the Arab Spring Have Removed Saddam?

I've watched two Arab regimes toppled and half-a-dozen others wobbled by nonviolent people power. If Saddam had been in power now, would he too be brought down?

The more I've thought of it, the more convinced I've become that Na'il was right. The Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings succeeded because the military forces of those countries refused to protect the regimes by cracking down on their own countrymen. The Egyptian military's self-image is that of a force that protects the nation and the people, not Hosni Mubarak.

Egyptian medics have been at the forefront of coming to the aid of their neighbors. One of the organizing groups is the Egyptian Doctors' Syndicate is one of several running convoys into Libya. One 13-person group about to head in was made up mostly Egyptian paramedics and doctors, accompanied by a volunteer entourage of armed Libyans for protection.

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Although initially wrong-footed by the uprisings across the Arab world, European nations eventually collected themselves, welcomed the new eras in Tunisia and Egypt, and blessed the yearning for democracy that is spreading across the region. But the European Union's delicate diplomatic dance has been tainted by a conflicting message of hostility: while throwing their support behind the Arab protests, officials are simultaneously shrieking at the prospect of Arab migrants seeking refuge in Europe.

Yemen: Somali refugees drown after boat capsizes

SOMALIA - FAILED STATE

Fifty-seven Somali refugees have drowned off the coast of Yemen after a boat capsized earlier this week.

The UN Refugee Agency says it ran into bad weather.

The sole survivor, who lost his wife and three children on the vessel, swam for a whole day before reaching the Yemeni coast, the UNCHR said.

Yemen is a popular destination for Somalis fleeing fighting at home, but the trip can be risky as smugglers use boats that are not seaworthy.

The UNCHR says this is the largest loss of life between the waters of Somalia and Yemen since 2008, when 114 people drowned after smugglers forced them into the water.

The 42-year-old man who survived grabbed a plastic container from the wreckage to help keep him afloat.

The BBC's East Africa correspondent Will Ross says every day at least one boat is reaching Yemen - packed full of Somalis fleeing the conflict back home.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12567825

United States:

Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators

The U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in "psychological operations" to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned – and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.

GULFPORT, Miss. — Scientists say five dead baby dolphins have been found on two islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, adding to what they say is an unusually high tally of dead dolphins in recent months off Mississippi and Alabama.

Researchers say they're seeking clues as to what caused the deaths. They report that 28 dolphins of all ages have been found dead in waters off the two states since the start of 2011, compared with 89 dead dolphins in all of 2010.

What Is Killing Portugal's Octopuses?

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What is killing the octopus of Vila Nova de Gaia? That question has obsessed the Portuguese city — located just across the Douro River from Porto — since Jan. 2, when 1,100 lb. (500 kg) of dead octopus were found on a 1.8-mile (3 km) stretch of local beach. The following day, another 110 lb. (50 kg) appeared; later there was just one expired creature. "It's very strange that so many should be killed, and in such a confined area," says Nuno Oliveira, director of the Gaia Biological Park, a nature refuge on the outskirts of Vila Nova de Gaia. "There's nothing in the scientific literature for this kind of mass mortality among octopus."

About 10 tonnes of mostly dead fish were found in part of a commercial fishing net drifting 2.5 nautical miles south of Kawau Island on December 13.

A trail of dead fish about three kilometres long was seen, the Fisheries Ministry says.

A ministry patrol boat went to investigate, while the HMNZS Hawea also searched for the net, along with an air force Seasprite helicopter. Both defence units were on exercise in the area. An air force Orion also became involved in the search with crew members taking photographs of the floating fish after it was spotted by the Hawea, the fisheries patrol vessel directed to it. The net was too heavy for the Hawea to lift, so HMNZS Manawanui arrived to take the net and its contents aboard.

Some live fish recovered were returned to the sea, along with most of the dead ones.

León, Gto.At least 4 000 birds have died in several dams and lakes in Guanajuato during the past three months, as a result of pollution in these water bodies, botulism and even the cold of the season, said Carlos Chacon, deputy Party local Green Ecology of Mexico (PVEM).

Have indicated that ducks and other birds found dead in dams Silva, in the municipality of San Francisco del Rincón, El Tigre, Manuel Folding; of Palote, Leon, and the Laguna de Yuriria.Although figures are not alarming, they are considering, I reckon this season and we go counting as 4 000 dead birds in all the reservoirs in the state, said the legislator.

Thousands of fishes, turtles die in Etawah pond

KANPUR: Thousands of fishes and about a dozen turtles were found dead during the past few days in Pakka Talab in Etawah. The fishes and turtles have been dying since last week and the number is increasing gradually.

NGOs suspect poisoning as the reason while residents blame the local body for poor upkeep of the water body over the years which has led to the death.

On January 20, residents at Pakka Talab gathered near the water body after they came across thousands of dead fishes and about a dozen turtles floating on the water surface. "Again on Friday morning, we found thousands of fish lying motionless on the surface. But, we had no idea that so many fish would die," said Animesh, a local.

Seven whales have been washed ashore along the Western coast of Ghana over the past six months in circumstances that have caused alarm among local fishermen and environmentalists.

While the fishermen and environmentalists have linked the death to the oil production activities in the Jubilee Field, officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say there has not been any scientific proof of that yet.

According to an expert in marine mammals at the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries at the University of Ghana, Professor Patrick Kwabena Ofori-Danson, apart from environmental pollution, whales could also die from eating harmful substances.

Mr Kojo Agbenor-Efunam, the Principal Programme Officer responsible for oil and gas at the EPA, however, delinked the fate of the whales from any oil spillage, saying that what had been spilled so far was harmless because it was neither poisonous nor toxic.

http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/201012/57594.asp

1000′s of baby fish wash ashore dead south of Cuba, “rare in Cayman Islands”; Seaweed used for shelter now soaked with oil

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Thousands of dead fish washed ashore a Florida state park beach on Friday, WPBF 25 News reports. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists believe a lack of oxygen resulted in the deaths of thousands of menhaden fish at Sebastian Inlet State Park. The officials say this type of fish is especially prone to dying from a lack of oxygen when they swim closer to shore in such large numbers.

Cao Bang province suffered the greatest losses, with 1,996 heads of cattle dead, followed by Lang Son (1,380 heads of cattle) and Son La (1,300 heads of cattle).

The Veterinary Department appointed delegations to cities and provinces to coordinate with local animal health departments to fight against hunger and chill for cattle.

Prime Minister requested the chairmen of provincial people’s committees in cities and provinces nationwide send task forces to closely control and actively use the local budget to support materials and expenditure for poor households and farmers.

The Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the MARD and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, was requested to carry out measures to guide, check and assist localities in fighting against cold weather and restoring production of cattle.

Nine strange giant rings appeared over Australia in January and February 2010. Could HAARP have been involved? That would explain the massive floods which occurred 1 year after the rings appeared, in 2011.

A year ago, Colin Andrews received an email from someone in Australia claiming that he has discovered a bizarre ring over Australia’s South East region.

The South West weather ring was definitely very strange and totally looks artificial. Similar rings later appeared in two more places. The large clearly defined ring had slowly dissipated but still was just visible on a time loop which was spiraling counter clockwise (Low Pressure system).

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. ~G.B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession, 1893